Kind of an interesting idea today, with flowers blooming at the end of three theme answers. The rose, iris, and aster are well-hidden in three otherwise unrelated entries. PURPLEPROSE (Excessively ornate writing) is something you don't hear every day - and are glad of it! :)
I ended in the NE, where, BUCKAROO (Cowboy), INDENIAL (Experiencing the first stage of grief, say), and GOTNASTY (Took the gloves off) gave me an inordinate amount of trouble. It could also have been that I was sitting at a table overlooking the Tuscan countryside with good friends talking and laughing around me. And there I was, with my head in the puzzle.
Happily, PECORINO (Cheese whose name comes from the Italian for "sheep") got me back into it, which is, in a word, SUPERB. Other tasty content includes BREWPUB and IPA. Items with FRUCTOSE are now cause for REGRET.
I also liked ADAGE, SNUB, and QUIPS.
and...
Preferred option for proceeding (PLANA)
Cheat royally (HOSE)
Respond to an alarm (AWAKEN)
Little dipper? (TOE) was cute.
Some among our esteemed readers might have enjoyed NUDE and possibly KINK.
You might say there was LASORDA a lotta three-letter entries in the puzzle's arrangement, but most were bouquet, with CDT, NOS, and ORG being the weakest.
Well, I'm sure you feel I've DRONEDON long enough. Plus, I've got a vineyard tour to get to.
Ciao.
- Horace (with some obvious help from Frannie)
6:56
ReplyDeleteI thought I recognized some Frannie in there! I'm glad you're having a nice time over there in Italia. I noticed you didn't mention BANANADAIQUIRIS as a tasty entry, nor did you mention ENOKI, OAT, LSD or STELLAS. Obvious oversights that you no doubt RUE. HOSE is excellent.